Microsoft Cracks Down on Software Piracy, or How to get XP Pro 1/2 price!

[mase21]

Microsoft Corp has kicked off a new program aimed at severely curtailing the ways people using pirated copies of its Windows operating system can get software updates.
When a computer user starts to download updates, the new program, called Windows Genuine Advantage, will scan the machine to see if it's running an authentic version of Windows.

If the program detects a counterfeit copy, it will offer two options:


Customers who fill out a piracy report, provide proof of purchase and send in the counterfeit CDs will get a free copy of Windows Home Edition, which retails for $199, or Windows Professional, which sells for $299.

Those who simply submit a piracy report -- giving details of when, where and from whom the operating system was purchased -- and send in the counterfeit copy will get either version of Windows at half price.

The authentication process was optional until Monday. From now on, it will be required for all software updates except security patches.

After prompting customers that their operating systems need to be authenticated, the program will scan the computer, detecting the product number automatically -- unless, of course, it's a fake.

Will Poole, a senior vice president in Microsoft's Windows division, said more than 40 million customers took part in the pilot. The world's largest software maker did not disclose how many pirated copies of Windows it has rooted out since the program began as a pilot program last September. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

My little editorial.....

So.... if I had a Windows 98, and wanted to upgrade my PC to XP Pro, I can now do it for half price? All I have to do is go to a pirate site and download a bad copy? Better yet, go the my local flea market that offers them. Then I tell Microsoft about say PB, (or the flea market kid) which Microsoft talks openly about. Does that increase piracy? Why pay full price for XP Pro at your local vendor?

It somehow seems to penalize the person trying to buy retail software honestly. Is that fair?

* Hey, tell 'em it was downloaded by someone off Loki!
__________________

 

[Blaster]

I don't like this :\

 

[warezdude]

ms knows about all the piracy, they just want to be the most used OS.. the more people using it legit or not legit, the better it is for them.

 

[wrhex04]

Exactly, Microsoft is too worried about any form of linux becoming a dominant desktop OS and in order to combat that, they'd rather offer their software at half cost or make no profit at all. most likely, that is why Microsoft has been so lenient toward home users and not the profiteering street corner dirtbags.

As for not liking that Microsoft made a sale at half cost, cry me a river. XP is an OS which will be superseded with-in the next couple years, those paying half cost did not get the same life span out of their OS as someone who paid full price back when RTM first hit the market. In part, it balances out and Microsoft still makes a sale they would have otherwise never had. You’re just looking at it as ‘they paid less, that’s not fair’. How gay, perhaps someone with a ‘pressed silver’ copy did not know that is was a bootleg disc when they purchased it. How’s that fair? I guess everyone knows that official pressed discs come with holographic logos and all kinds of other security features. I think not.

 

[derelicte]

And this is proof of the two above posts.

Since they are willing to lose half the money per legit copy of windows that the pirates don't sell (As if they would pay half the price of XP, 99.50 is it?), they have more money than they care for profit.

Excuse my wording, but that means that they don't care if you buy it or not, but they do care if you use it. See why all EXE files run on only windows and not linux? (not without an emulator)

See, They are monopolizing the OS community and I find it unfair.
People, rise up and use linux! SHOW THE MS OVERLORDS THEY CANT WIN!

Thanks ;p